SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY

January 23, 2009 By Pastor David Stone

“–we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”-Romans 8:37

If we truly understood who we are in Christ it would change our views about everything. Sadly, some don’t. Fortunately a few do. Most certainly all should.It would make a big difference in how we look at the challenges in life.

During World War II General Creighton Abrams and his troops were surrounded by the enemy to the east, west, north, south. General Abrams said,”Gentlemen, for the first time in the history of this campaign, we are now in a position to attack the enemy in any direction.”

Wouldn’t it be great if we all had that attitude? Far too often we bemoan the fact that many things are against us without ever considering that God is “for us”( Romans 8:31). It’s true, we should not ignore reality–we do have enemies, but we need to see the big picture. As Christians we have every right, and even a responsibility, to maintain a positive attitude.

Forget about all that is against you and focus on the One who is for you. He is all powerful and He cares about you. He can defeat every foe, meet every need, and solve any problem–trust Him. as John said, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”(1 John 4:4).

HUMMINGBIRDS & BUZZARDS

January 22, 2009 By Pastor David Stone

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true–honest–just–pure–lovely–of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”( Philippians 4:8)

I read the other day that two kinds of birds fly over the California deserts: hummingbirds and vultures. All the vultures can see is rotting meat. But the hummingbird ignores the decaying carcasses. He looks for the tiny blossoms of the cactus flowers that are almost hidden from view by the rocks.

That reminds me of people. Some folks are always focused on that which is bad, while others are looking for the good.Both find what they are looking for. They find it because that’s what they crave. Their appetite determines what they search for.

So, how is it with you? Is your mind occupied with all the problems in this sin defiled world or are looking for those things that are true–honest–just–pure lovely etc.? Whatever the case, you will find what you seeking. Even in this sin cursed world we can find things that are pleasant and sweet. They exist because of the influence of Christ through His people. Would we all not be better off if we focused on those qualities rather than always pointing out what is wrong in the world? We got more than enough faultfinders in the world. We need more folks who are conscious of the good things God has provided. They are the ones who make life a delight. Anyone can find the stinking decaying carcasses of sin. It takes a hummingbird Christian to search out the hidden graces that God has provided. So, what are you looking for? Are you a hummingbird or a buzzard?

NOT BY BREAD ALONE

January 21, 2009 By Pastor David Stone

“–Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4)

A foolish old farmer, so the story goes, concluded one day that the oats he had fed his mule for years were simply costing him too much. So he hatched a plan: he mixed a little sawdust in with the feed, and then a little more the next day, and even more the next, each time reducing the amount of oats in the mix.

The mule didn’t seem to notice the gradual change, so the farmer thought things were fine and kept decreasing the proportion of oats. But weeks later, on the day he finally fed the poor beast nothing but sawdust, the mule finished the meal and fell over dead.

A silly tale, perhaps, but it serves as a parable of the backslider–the Christian who slips further and further away from God through unrepented sin or neglect. Though we know our souls cannot survive on spiritual sawdust, we may well convince ourselves that a little won’t hurt too much, and a little less real spiritual food won’t be missed. Then, over time, the proportion of sawdust increases while the oats gradually disappear. Before long, the change is complete, and our starved, sawdust-stuffed spiritual life has collapsed.

To avoid this you need to get into a good church where you will hear the word of God and get into the Word everyday, so as to receive the spiritual nourishment you need. As Peter said,”As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”(1 Peter 2:2)

BY THESE THINGS MEN LIVE

January 20, 2009 By Pastor David Stone

“O Lord, by these things men live; and in all these things is the life of my spirit.” Isaiah 38:16

When Hezekiah said, “By these things men live,” he meant that by these trials and deliverances, by these sinkings and risings, strippings and clothings, emptyings and fillings, “by these things men,” that is, spiritual men, “live.” It is a mystery, but a great truth, that just in proportion as we die to the world, to self, to sense, to nature, and to false religion, the more the life of God is strengthened in our conscience. The Lord, perhaps, has taught some of you this truth through great afflictions. But when these trials came upon you at the first, it seemed as though they would entirely overwhelm you; they took away your standing, and it appeared as though they had destroyed your faith and hope.

But though these floods of temptation passed over the soul, they swept away nothing but rubbish, which until then was mistaken for the inward teachings of God the Spirit. So far then from these afflictions overwhelming your faith, you found that faith was secretly strengthened by the very flood that threatened at first to drown it. True faith is no more destroyed by sharp trials, than the oak is destroyed by cutting away the ivy, or by a storm blowing down some of its rotten branches. And thus, as the oak, the more the winds blow upon it, takes a firmer root in the soil; so the storms and tempests that blow upon the soul, only cause it to take a firmer hold of the truth, and to strike its fibers more deeply into the Person, love, work, and blood of Jesus. So that, “by these things men live,” for through them, the life of God is maintained and kept up in the soul, the Holy Spirit secretly strengthening it by the very things that seemed to threaten it with destruction

UNSAINTLY SAINTS

January 19, 2009 By Pastor David Stone

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31-32

Dispositional sins are fully as injurious to the Christian cause
as the more overt acts of wickedness. These sins are as many
as the various facets of human nature. Just so there may be
no misunderstanding, let us list a few of them: sensitiveness,
irritability, churlishness, faultfinding, peevishness, temper,
resentfulness, cruelty, uncharitable attitudes; and of course
there are many more. These kill the spirit of the church and
mar the witness of the church in the community. Many unsaved
people have been turned away and embittered by manifestations
of ugly dispositional flaws in the lives of the very people who
were trying to win them.

Unsaintly saints are the tragedy of Christianity! (A.W. Tozer)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance—–.” Gal. 5:22-23

SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY

HUMMINGBIRDS & BUZZARDS

NOT BY BREAD ALONE

BY THESE THINGS MEN LIVE

UNSAINTLY SAINTS

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